For a world that is confined by political and technological dynamism, music, art and culture come as breath of fresh air that upholds its identity and helps every soul find anchorage. Utsav Educational and Cultural Society does exactly that by being torchbearers of Indian cultural heritage for 35 years now. Under the wing of its Founder-President Smt. Ranjana Gauhar – Padmashree and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee, Utsav Came forward to herald the momentous occasion of Indian Independence Day on Wednesday and Thursday, August 9th and 10th, 2023 at Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi with the 18th presentation of their flagship production – “Saare Jahan se Achchha.”
The production commemorates India’s struggle for freedom in the form of Musical Dance Drama “Khud Mein Kabir, Kabir Mein Hum” and other dance forms – Odissi and Mohiniyattam performed by seasoned and established artists. Spread over two days the festival paid tribute to the martyrs and achievers of the nation in its own unique language.
Programme on the of Wednesday, August 9th, 2023 featured Utsav’s Repertory and Guru Ranjana Gauhar bringing out the life & philosophy of Sant Kabir in a Musical Dance Drama “Khud Mein Kabir, Kabir Mein Hum”. The performance is choreographed and directed by Ranjana ji herself and embellished with melodies composed by Shri Saroj Mohanty.
Second day, Thursday, August 10th, 2023 of Indian Independence Day celebrations witnessed fluidity personified in the form of Odissi Dancer Vinod Kevin Bachan (Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puruskar) disciple of Guru Ranjana Gauhar in the first act. The former converged into another feminine and delicate performance by Guru Jayaprabha Menon (Kerala Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee) and disciples through Mohiniyattam finally breaking into a suave presentation of Odissi by Gurus Ashok and Bandita Goshal and disciples (Bhubaneswar).
Enthralled for having showcased a magnificent spectacle for Delhi folks for the 18th time, Smt. Ranjana Gauhar remarked, “I consider myself fortunate to serve of the Indian Arts and Cultural realm. For 35 years, through Utsav we have organized major annual dance festivals such as Unbound Beats of India that unleashes new horizons for upcoming and outstanding dancers; Su- Tarang that celebrates young dancers on World Dance Day that is absolutely free-spirited and allows one to express themselves uninhibited! Through Saare Jahan Se Achchha we offer a platform where senior and established dancers of the country pay their tribute to real heroes of the nation. Talented artists in Indian and abroad from different genres of Indian classical dance perform at these festivals at Delhi’s most popular cultural hubs to a discerning audience and rasikas. It satisfies me that we have been very well received by viewers through decades and am hopeful that in our small ways we will help the legacy of Indian Heritage stay alive for centuries to come.”
